Ok, so having been tying and fishing for about 3 years now, there are still a couple patterns that I look at and wonder, "What in the world???" Having said that, I figured I'd see if anyone else has ever wondered what some of the more popular pattern's out there imitate.

To get things started: Royal Coachman (Wet Fly)

jpbfly

06-27-2012 12:22 PM

Re: What is (Insert Fly) supposed to imitate?

Many flies that don't imitate anything catch fish:)
think this one belongs to this category:icon_ques:confused::rolleyes::D

bigjim5589

06-27-2012 12:49 PM

Re: What is (Insert Fly) supposed to imitate?

Possibly it's one of those flies that just has the "right" characteristics to imitate a variety of things. What we see these flies as really doesn't matter, it's what the fish mistake them to be.

I've used many flies that were supposed to be a specific imitation of something, but in my own twisted way, have imagined them as something else. I've also used flies that didn't imitate anything that I could really think of at the time but may have used them in a manner that imitated something real. Call it abstract thinking if you like, but I prefer to call it open minded.

One of our greatest fallacies is we too often think of flies in our own terms. We define what they're supposed to be by what we see. Fish don't think, they act on instincts & conditioning from their environment. Really doesn't matter what the fish see when they spot our fly, as long as they see it as food, or as something else they have to bite at.

Food & self preservation is what fish are interested in. They don't even appreciate the art of tying! :rolleyes:

How about a Meat Whistle, or an Intruder? How many different things do they imitate? :D

Rip Tide

06-27-2012 01:41 PM

Re: What is (Insert Fly) supposed to imitate?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jor fly
(Post 467681)

To get things started: Royal Coachman (Wet Fly)

The fin of a brook trout

jor fly

06-27-2012 03:14 PM

Re: What is (Insert Fly) supposed to imitate?

Great replies everyone! The thought just hit me while tying up a couple telicos the other day. I mean, consider the telico nymph: yellow body, with peacock herl rib....... I know of no nymphs that look quite like that, yet fish in the smokies love them. And don't even get me started on a prince nymph!

Hardyreels

06-27-2012 03:29 PM

Re: What is (Insert Fly) supposed to imitate?

Fish can be peculiar creatures. I've seen fish that will tune in on only #20 BWO and if you aren't close they shun any offers. Other fish will whack a size 2/0 Skykomish Sunrise like it done something wrong?

I fish the Royal Wulff here for dry flies and they are swell as an attractor.

stimulator2

06-27-2012 03:52 PM

Re: What is (Insert Fly) supposed to imitate?

I think the Royal Wullff dry fly works on any fish .I tie with orange,yellow,pink and green bands and they all work wherever i have fished them.

if you can tell me what any or most atlantic salmon fly that isnt a shrimp pattern is suppose to me than please fill me in lol, but hey, why question it if it works

stenacron

07-17-2012 12:58 PM

Re: What is (Insert Fly) supposed to imitate?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jor fly
(Post 467720)

Great replies everyone! The thought just hit me while tying up a couple telicos the other day. I mean, consider the telico nymph: yellow body, with peacock herl rib....... I know of no nymphs that look quite like that, yet fish in the smokies love them. And don't even get me started on a prince nymph!

You have to view things from a fish's perspective... things look different under water than they do in the vise. The Telico is a good example; where you see yellow floss and peacock herl, underwater it probably looks very much like a drown stonefly washing by. Many cased-caddis worms have a yellow body as well... the Telico could be viewed as a dislodged caddis worm in the process of rebuilding its case (stage of vulnerability).

The body (silhouette) of a Royal Coachman could be viewed as an ant profile... or the contrasting red band could be viewed as a developing egg sack (E. vitreus has a bright red/orange egg sack inside the body).

Peacock herl is magic underwater... it quickly goes from bright green to bronze once wet and has a very buggy overall appearance. The Prince Nymph probably resembles a lot of things, and matches none.

The key to a lasting, effective pattern is impressionism and emphasis of "triggers"... the more real a patten looks, the narrower its window of usage IMO. Remember, many times trout have a split second to make the decision to eat or pass. I guess the thing is, let the fish judge how things "appear" versus how they "look" to us. ;)